Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) harassed and extorted money from villagers of Maungdaw Township yesterday when they were returning home after praying in the mosque, said a local school teacher on condition of anonymity.

Yesterday, at about 8:30 pm, a section of Nasaka personnel on patrol party  in Salay Daung (Myaw Daung) village Nasaka outpost of Nasaka area No.5 went to a shop in the village, while five villagers were buying cigarettes and other things on their way home from the mosque.

The Nasaka personnel asked the villagers where they were from. The villagers said that they were from the village and were coming from the mosque.  The Nasaka severely beat them up, and also tried to take them to the Nasaka camp. For fear of further torture, the villagers paid Kyat 30,000 each to the Nasaka and were freed.

The victims were identified as Saber (30), son of Rashid, Obaidullah (40), son of Abudu Zabber, Aman Ullah and two others. They all belong to Salay Dong village.

A village elder said,” Without finding any fault, the Nasaka indiscriminately tortured the villagers and took money.”

Another villager said, “It is religious discrimination as they were going home after praying in the mosque at about 8:30 pm. There was no indication that the villagers were about to go out of their homes after 8 pm. “